A middle-aged woman realises she needs to find a creative way to raise money and scours local thrift stores in search of value. She buys a pearl necklace for 2.50,- euros. And she asks me for a verbal appraisal to determine if she can sell the necklace for more.
When I see the necklace, I almost fall off my chair. Attached to the strand of Akoya pearls is an old clasp set with a large rose-cut diamond. The clasp is also made of 14-karat gold, hallmarked with an old Dutch assay mark used in the 19th century. I take another close look at the pearls. They are irregular in shape and color. I begin to suspect that these might well be natural, because before 1900 pearls were natural. Of course the lock could well be re-used in the course of a century.
I congratulate her on her excellent taste and very good find. This is truly a ‘trouvaille,’ as the French say. I tell her my suspicions and that I want to present it to a colleague first. If she also thinks they are natural, the next step is an examination by a renowned laboratory such as the NEL in Leiden or the HRD of GIA in Antwerp. She agrees to the costs of the examination and she understands very well that they could also be cultured pearls. I estimate that if they are cultured pearls, the necklace could fetch an auction price between 300 and 400 euros (due to the antique clasp), but if they are natural pearls, she can count on a yield of 3,000 to 4,000 euros.
It is, of course, incredibly nerve-wracking to wait on the outcome of the laboratory analysis. Ultimately, it turns out they are cultured pearls after all. But she is very happy with it, because everything counts towards the contentious divorce she is currently going through.
No sooner said than done, and the pearl necklace is offered at auction as cultured with a starting bid of 300 euros. To everyone’s surprise, the necklace fetches 4,700 euros.
Natural, cultivated or fake?
What is the difference between natural, cultivated and fake pearls? If you would you like to learn more about pearls, take our introductory course on pearls. You will learn about the history of pearls, the different type of pearls and the cultivation process. See my workshops.
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